Leh: Ladakh administration has reserved all subordinate service jobs in the union territory for the local residents, a development welcomed by BJP but dismissed by an opposition leader on the plea that the rules are “full of flaws”.
In a notification issued by the Labour and Employment department on Tuesday, the administration announced the “Union Territory of Ladakh Employment (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules 2021”, reserving jobs exclusively for the locals.
“No person shall be qualified for appointment to the service unless the person is a resident of the Union Territory of Ladakh,” the notification read, clarifying that the rules shall not apply to persons with services in UT of Ladakh under the provisions of section 89(2) of Jammu and Kashmir Re-organization Act 2019, or such rules as may be prescribed by the administration.
Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two union territories on August 05, 2019 after its special status under Article 370 was revoked.
The recruitment rules, framed by Lietenant Governor R K Mathur, would come into force from the date of their publication in the official gazette, the notification read.
“The residents of Union Territory of Ladakh means any person who satisfies the criteria of residence as may be prescribed for the purpose of employment under the administration of Union Territory of Ladakh under any act, rules or regulation having force of law in Union Territory of Ladakh,” the notification said.
As per the rules, the appointment to the service shall be made by direct recruitment or by promotion, failing which by absorption. The competent authority to appoint a person to the service by absorption shall be the administration.
“Every person on appointment to the service, by direct recruitment shall be on probation for a period of two years. Person on appointment to the service by promotion or by absorption shall be on probation for a period of six months,” the notification said.
It said the age limit and other qualifications for direct recruitment would be as prescribed by the administration.
“If any question arises relating to the interpretation of these rules, the matter shall be referred to the administrative department whose decision thereon shall be final and binding,” the notification said.
Ladakh BJP president and MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal thanked the Centre for the new rules, saying they were in accordance with the sentiments of the people.
“Thanks #ModiSarkar, especially Hon. Home Minister Sh. Amit Shah Ji for respecting the sentiments and considering the demands of people of Ladakh in respect of #JobSafeguards for the residents of Ladakh,” Namgyal said in a tweet.
However, prominent politician from Kargil Sajjad Hussain expressed his resentment against the new rules, claiming that these are “full of flaws”.
“…but these rules are full of flaws – Who is the resident of Ladakh, what is the criteria? LAHDCs (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil) were totally ignored and rules unilaterally imposed,” Hussain, who enjoyed the backing of National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party as a candidate in the last Parliamentary elections, wrote on twitter.
Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami said the latest decision to reserve jobs for residents of Ladakh region is another “half-hearted attempt” of the BJP government as it did not even bother to consult two functional hill development councils in the region.
“CPI(M) stand on J&K Reorganisation Act-2019 through which the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded and divided into two Union Territories – J&K and Ladakh – is clear that it was unconstitutional, arbitrary and against the interests of the people of the region. The party has already challenged it in the Supreme Court,” he said in a statement.
He said the Article 35-A, which was scrapped by the BJP government along with the Article 370 in 2019 “unconstitutionally”, was there to protect the land and job rights of people of residents of all three regions of J&K.
“The unconstitutional decision harmed the interests of people of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh equally,” he said.
Tarigami said there was no clarity in the latest order issued by the Lt Governor of Ladakh whether those applying for jobs will have to submit permanent residence certificates, as was the practice prior to 2019, or domicile certificate.
“Unlike Ladakh, the recruitment rules framed for J&K last year allowed all domiciles, even those who have been living in J&K for more than seven years or studying in the UT up to class 12, as eligible to apply for jobs,” he said.
He said a lot of corporate sector companies were working in Ladakh region and limited employment opportunities in the region have been provided to the outsiders through them.
“We once again reiterate that if the BJP government wants to correct its wrongs, it should restore the pre-5 August 2019 position of J&K. Taking half-hearted decisions to appease one region or one community will not work,” the CPI(M) leader said.
